Diaper holder



Sept. 19, 1961 w. G. MULHOLE ETAL DIAPER HOLDER Filed Nov. 7, 1956 @N Nwww N ULV United States Patent O 3,000,381 DIAPER HOLDER William G.Mulhole, Elizabeth, NJ., and John J. Osmar,

North. Little Rock, Ark., assignors to Chicopee ManufacturingCorporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 7, 1956, Ser. No.620,824 Claims. (Cl. 12S-284) This invention relates to diaperingdevices and holders for diaper pads, more particularly to a holder whichis especially adapted to hold inexpensive diaper pads which are disposedof after one use.

The present invention contemplates a diaper pad holder which is adaptedto hold a somewhat imsy, but highly absorbent disposable pad snugly inposition on a baby without stretching the pad unduly, tearing it, orothervsu'se destroying its effectiveness as a diaper; and the diaperingdevice which comprises a disposable pad of this type in such a holder.

The rear half of the diaper pad holder of this invention is extensibleand elastic so that the holder may be tted tightly around the baby. r[hefront end of the holder is relatively inextensible and adapted to holdthe front end of the pad securely in position without slippage duringuse. Since the rear half of the holder is extended during use, the rearend of the pad is positioned in the holder in such a way that it mayslip in the direction of its length to avoid stretching or tearing thepad, itself.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and claims taken together with the drawingswherein:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a diaper pad holder according to oneembodiment of the invention with the extensible rear half of the holderin relaxed condition.

FIGURE 2 is a similar plan view of the holder of FIGURE 1 with the rearhalf of the holder extended to its full dimension.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view along the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a waterproof diaper pad holderwhich is roughly T-shaped in its full dimension, or when it is fullyextended, as shown in FIGURE 2. The line A-A passing approximatelythrough the mid-point of the crotch portion of the holder divides theholder into a front part 11 and a rear part 12 which will be referred tosometimes hereinafter in the specification and claims as a front halfand a rear half; the front half 11 being that below the line A--A in theiigures, and the rear half 12 being that above the line. Thus, the fronthalf of the holder at the base of the T is relatively elongated andnarrow, while the rear half of the holder is much wider across the topof the T.

The rear half of the holder is gathered when the holder is relaxed, asshown in FIGURE 1, to provide the required extensibility. 'Ihe rear part.12 of the holder body is gathered adjacent its top edge 13 and securedto elastic means 14 such as an elastic tape by zig-zag stitching or anequivalent technique to provide an extensible and elastic rear waistembracing portion 15. Somewhat concave leg embracing portions 16 areprovided along each edge of the holder about the line A-A in the area ofthe crotch portion of the holder. As shown in FIGURE 1, the holder bodyis gathered above the line A-A in the leg embracing portions 17 of therear half of the holder and secured to'extensible elastic means 18 bystitching or the like. Thus, both the rear waist embracing portion andthe rear leg embracing portions 17 of the holder of FIGURE 1 areextensible and elastic. Generally speaking, the elastic means 14 on theWaist embracing portion will be quite resilient to assure that theholder stays in position and does not slip down from the babys waist.

Patented Sept. 19, 1.961

In contrast, the waist embracing portion 21 of the front half of theholder is not gathered and therefore only as extensible as the materialof the holder body. Preferably, the body of the holder is formed from asheet of relatively inextensible waterproof material, such as vinylsheeting, or the like, with the result that the front half 11 of theholder is relatively inextensible. Preferably, also, a relativelyinextensible reinforcing band 22 is provided, for strength purposes,along the waist embracing edge of this half of the holder.

For convenience in manufacturing and to reinforce the leg embracingportions 23 of the front half of the holder, the elastic means 18 of theleg embracing portions 17 of the rear half of the holder may be extendedover and secured to the leg embracing portions of the front half, asshown in the drawings. However, the body of the holder in these areas isgathered only slightly, if at all, so that the leg embracing portions ofthe front half of the holder are, at best, relatively inextensible. Theelastic means 18 could be confined to the rear leg embracing portions,in which case it would be preferable to reinforce the leg embracingedges of the front half of the holder by some other means, such asreinforcing strips or the like.

Fastening devices are provided on each side of the front and rear halvesof the holder beyond their respective leg embracing portions. A set ofthree spaced snap halves 25 is positioned adjacent the edge of theholder along each side, at the front and rear thereof. Reinforcingstrips 26 are stitched to the body of the holder in v these areas toprevent the snap halves 25 from loosening or pulling out. Preferably,male halves on the outer side of the rear half 12 of the holder enterand cooperate with female snap halves on the inner side of the fronthalf 11 of the holder. However, this arrangement may be varied with themale halves being on the front half 11 of the holder and the femalehalves being on the rear half 12, or with the snap halves facingopposite sides of the same half of the holder.

Pad securing means in the form of a front strap 27 is provided adjacentthe waist embracing portion 21 of the front half of the diaper holder.This strap 27 extends across the holder and is secured at each of itsends by stitching, or the like, to the reinforcing strips 26 along thesides of the front half of the holder. A rear strap 28 is secured to therear half of the holder through a heat sealing ring 28A which surroundsthe strap. Ihe ends of the strap are integral with correspondingportions of the heat sealing ring and the ring is heat sealed to theholder adjacent these portions in such a way that the unattached lengthof the strap between its ends is approximately equal to that of thefront strap 27. Preferably, the unattached length of the rear strap 28is at least about as great as the width of diaper pads to be usedtherewith and the strap is located centrally of the rear half of theholder so that a pad threaded therethrough is supported slidably in therear part of the holder.

In use, the front end 31 of an elongated yabsorbent pad 30 is insertedunder the front strap 27, then the body of the pad is folded over thestrap 27 and the rear end of the pad is threaded under the rearV strap28, while the holder is relaxed, as shown in FIGURE 1.

The baby then is placed on the rear half of thefpad- 30 and the fronthalf of the holder is folded over the babysV abdomen with the legembracing portions of the holder between the babys legs. The rear half12 of theholderfv half of the holder. This snug iit prevents the frontend of the pad 31 from becoming dislodged from the front strap 27. Therear half of the pad 30 is held in position by the generally close t ofthe holder around the babys body.

Even though the front end 31 of the pad is positively secured to thefront half 11 of the holder by folding the end of the pad around thefront strap 27, the front half o r' the pad is not stretched appreciablyas the holder is tted around the baby because the front half of the padis vrelatively inextensible. Thus, the front half of the pad and thefront half of the holder retain their relative positions. Since the rearhalf 12 of the holder is extended as it is stretched around the babysbody, the rear strap 28 is vdesignedto allow the rear end of the pad 3Gto slide therethrough to avoid placing undue tension on the pad as therear half 12 of the holder is extended. The relative motion between therear half of the holder and the rear Yhalf of the pad is illustrated inthe comparison between FIGURES l and 2, before and after stretching ofthe holder, respectively. Thus, the absorbent pad Ymay be relativelyimsy or at least of low tensile strength. This allows the use of cheaperyet highly absorbent materials, such `as'ilufled Woodpulp, other ockyabsorbent materials, and the like.

lt is preferred that the elastic strips 14 and 18 at the waist and legencircling portions of the holderY be sheathed with an open netting 32of a durable, preferably hydrophobic material such as nylon, or thelike. Since this sheathing is positioned about the elastic when it isfully extended, it will become shirred or pleated in the relaxedcondition of the Vholder as shown in FIGURE 1. The sheathing 32 improvesthe appearance of the holder and provides a cushioning eifect betweenthe elastic 'strips andthe babys body.

The reinforcing strips 26 in the front and rear of the holdermay beextended up beyond lthe Waist embracing edges thereof to provide tabs 33which may be used for opening the top snaps'or pinning the holder to thebabys undershirt.

The body of the holder may be formed from a single sheet of a vinylpolymer or'copolymer, either pigmented for opacity or relatively clearand transparent. It is preferred that the sheet be opaque and white andembossed with a fine pattern to provide a textile-like texture to theholder. In the above-described structure, vinyl sheeting approximately'4mils thick has given good results. Of course, any one of various similarmaterials may be eniployed Afor this purpose.

The -front waist band 22, the reinforcing strips 26, and

\ thefront and rear straps 27 and 28 each may be formed from na singlelayer of 4 mil vinyl sheeting folded upon itself` twice to provide a3-ply strip, 12 mils thick. A single layer 12 mils thick, or a likestructure, may be employed with equal advantage. Similarly, althoughstitching has been mentioned for use to secure the various parts of theholder together, with the exception of the backV strap 28 which has beendescribed as heat sealed, heat sealing may be employed throughout, or anadhesive, or the like, may be used.

Having now described the invention in speciiic detail and exemplifiedthe manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the lart that innumerable variations,applications, modications, and extensions of the basic principlesinvolved may be made without departing from its spirit or scope.

The claims are:

1. A rdiaper pad holder comprising a crotch portion, leg embracingportions and waist embracing portions, said holder ybeing divided by animaginary median line passing approximately through the mid-point of thecrotch portion into a front half and a rear half, the leg embracingportions and waist embracing portion of the holder to the rear of saidmedian line being extensible and elastic and the entire leg embracingportions and the Waist embracing portion to the front of said medianline being inextensible and non-elastic, which further comprises padsecuring means infront half of said holder beyond the leg embracingportions thereof, and fastening devices along the sides of each of saidfront and rear halves beyond their respective leg embracing portions,whereby the front yendlof an elongated diaper pad may be iixed to thepad securing means in the front half of the holder and the rear end ofthe diaper pad may be slidably positioned in the rear ,half of theholder and the holder bearing the pad may be fitted on a baby by placingsaid leg embracing portions between a babys legs and stretching theextensible rear half of the holder around the baby and securing it tothe inextensible'front half by said fastening devices without stretchingthe pad where it is iixed in the front half of the holder. Y

2. A diaper pad holder according to claim l wherein the pad securingmeans is .in the form of a front strap extending across and secured atits ends to the front half ofthe holder beyond the leg embracingportions thereof, whereby the diaper pad maybe fixed to the strap bypassing the pad through and over the strap and stretching theWaist'embracing portion of the holder around the baby.

3. A diaper-pad holder according to `claim l wherein pad guiding meansis centrally located in the rear half of saidholder, whereby the rearend ofthe pad may be threaded through the guiding meansfor slidablemovement therewith. t

4. A diaper pad holder according to claim 3 wherein the guiding means isVin the form of a rear strap extending across and secured at its `endstothe rear half of the holder. 5. A diapering ydevice comprising, incombination; a diaper pad yholder which in Vturn comprisesV a vcrotchportion, leg embracing portions, waist embracing portions, said holderbeing divided by an imaginary median'line passing approximately throughthe mid-point of the crotch portion into a front half and a rear half,the legh'emb'racing portions and Waist embracing portionY of theV holderto the rear of said median line being extensible and4 elastic and the'leg vembracing portions and theA waist embracing portion to the frontof said median line being relatively inextensible 'and non-elastic,fastening devices along Vthe sides of each of said front and rearhalves, beyond their respective leg embracing portions, Va front strapextending across and secured at its ends to said front halfadjacent theWaist embracing portionof said half, and a rear strap extending acrossand secured at its ends to the rear half of 'said holdei and anelongated disposable diaper pad having its front end linserted undersaid front strap and the remainder of the pad folded over the frontstrap and threaded under said rear strap, whereby said pad is attachedtothe relatively inextensible front half of the holder and is slidablypositioned on said extensible rear half, and the holder-bearing the padmay be iitted on a baby by placing said legembracing portions between ababys legs and stretching the extensible rear half of the holder aroundkthe baby and securing it to said front half by said Yfastening deviceswithout stretching the pad where it is `fixed in the front half of theholder.

References Cited Yin the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITEDSTATES PATENT. OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CRRECTION Patent No.'r3,000,38lSeptember 19, 1961,

William G. Mulhole et al.

It is hereby'certfed that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 4, under the headin add the following:

g, "UN'TTED STATES PATENTSH 2,581,904 Burnsl --Janm 8, 1952 2,854,979Turner et al---Oct. 7,v 1958 Signed and sealed this 3rd day of April1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w, SWIDER DAVID L LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

